2024 Volkswagen Golf R Review and Test Drive

The last three-pedal hatchback Volkswagen plans to build for North America stops just short of excitement.

Benjamin Hunting | 

Aug 8, 2024 | 7 min read

Benjamin Hunting

Volkswagen offers two similar but different turbocharged hatchback vehicles in the United States: the Volkswagen Golf GTI and the pricier Volkswagen Golf R. While the former has long served as a cheap(ish) and cheerful entry point into the world of compact performance, the Golf R's mission, in my opinion, has crept steadily into Audi territory — not just in terms of its window sticker but also its power, technology, and ability to insulate the driver from the outside world.

That last point is notable, as the 2024 Golf R marks the final model year this car will target enthusiasts eager to exercise their left foot in a back-road dance. Starting in 2025, the Golf GTI and the Golf R will come exclusively with a self-shifting dual-clutch automatic, ending four decades of three-pedal Golf fun with a traditional manual transmission.

Swapping the stick for standard steering wheel paddles completes the Golf R's transition from hatchback hot rod to, well, something else. By severing the last vestige of the old-school connection between the pilot and the pavement, the upcoming 2025 Golf R reveals itself to be one letter removed from S — specifically, the Audi S3, the automatic-only sedan with which it traditionally has shared most of its go-fast hardware.

If you're of a mind to shift gears for yourself, this is your last chance to do so with the R logo etched into the Golf's seats. After spending time behind the wheel of a 2024 Volkswagen Golf R, however, I've discovered that even with a manual transmission along for the ride, this car is already closer in spirit to a refined Audi than it is to its rambunctious Volkswagen past.

Benjamin Hunting

Dig Under the Skin for Differences Between the GTI and Golf R

It will likely take a keen eye to pick out the visual differences between the Golf GTI and the Golf R. Key elements separating the pair include different front and rear bumper treatments, the standard 19-inch wheels on the R, its quad exhaust tips, and its nappa leather upholstery.

In the Golf genealogy, "R" connotes the highest-end member of the family in several areas. Most prominent is under the hood, where the two Golfs share a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. The Golf R cranks out 315 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque from this engine, a big jump over the GTI's 241 horses and 273 lb-ft. You'll find an even greater gap in straight-line acceleration, where the Golf R's 4.5-second sprint makes it a full 1.5 seconds quicker than its junior partner.

Part of that advantage is due to the R's standard 4Motion all-wheel-drive system — the GTI has front-wheel drive — and part of it is due to a rear differential that can shift as much as 100% of the engine's output from one wheel to the other.

Benjamin Hunting

Pick Your Performance Program

The 2024 Volkswagen Golf R is available in a single trim level with few options other than a choice of wheel designs, paint colors, and the ability to swap the six-speed manual transmission for a seven-speed dual-clutch automated manual. My test car had a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $46,890, including a destination charge of $1,225 to ship it to the dealership from the Wolfsburg, Germany, assembly plant.

Summer driving in my part of the world includes mountain loops and loose gravel two-lane roads, in addition to a highway commute from Montreal to southeastern Quebec. Temperatures were high all week, bathing the Volkswagen's interior in sunshine.

Before engaging in any shenanigans, the Golf R returned 30 mpg on the highway, with more spirited driving resulting in 26 mpg combined. That's slightly better than the official EPA fuel-economy ratings for the car: 20/28/23 mpg in city/highway/combined driving.

At its core, the Golf R offers a carefully curated speed experience, one in which the digital influences are only slightly attenuated by the analog shifter sticking up from the center console. One simply has to push the R button on the steering wheel and call up the car's drive mode menu to confirm just how much software defines this VW's character.

Benjamin Hunting

During my test drive, I observed that, in addition to Sport and Comfort, the Golf R also comes with Race, Drift, Special, and Custom settings. Custom allows you to program individual control over things such as suspension firmness, steering and throttle response, and the sound of the engine.

Race is the most hardcore of the group, with Special mimicking its performance focus except for a softer suspension, intended to better absorb the jarring surface of Germany's fabled Nürburgring racetrack. From what I experienced during my test drive, drift mode dials back the stability control while configuring the rear differential to overload the outside wheel in a corner.

There is a distinct difference between how the Golf R handles in Race versus Special mode. I appreciated the extra body control offered by Race but was even more grateful for the ability to turn off the bounce and crash that comes with it and resolidify my insides through the corners without sacrificing power delivery or maximum grip. I found that Comfort dialed back the Golf R's growl to make long highway stints unmemorable.

Benjamin Hunting

That the Golf R is fast is never in question. Especially above 40 mph, the hatchback's turbo four is adept at reaching the red part of the tachometer quickly.

The issue is what happens when you engage your left foot to continue the crawl. Volkswagen's six-speed manual gearbox is undoubtedly appreciated, but in my experience, it would be a stretch to call it engaged — or engaging — when called to action. There's a numbness in the gear shifts that echoes the Golf R's removed feel through the steering wheel and insulation of the all-wheel-drive system's power delivery.

That was most noticeable on my test drive when shifting during full-throttle acceleration. The traction-control system often engaged to pull the power back briefly once I'd engaged the new ratio. Engine revs hung in the balance for a half second more than expected, even on the cleanest of gear changes.

Throw in an underwhelming exhaust note and a curb weight of nearly 4,000 pounds, and the Golf R is muscle-car quick yet aloof, which made it difficult to develop a relationship with it. That was true even with the allegedly rowdy Drift mode engaged, which failed to fully respond to my feints and flicks on gravel unless I was traveling at a high enough rate of speed to make nearly any automobile oversteer.

Benjamin Hunting

Ergonomics Don't Improve With the Golf R

The Golf R features touch-sensitive interior controls. From what I've seen, it's tough to find fans of its dashboard buttons or steering wheel controls, especially considering how few features are accessible outside of the infotainment screen and how some of those buttons aren't illuminated at night. Easily grasped knobs and buttons that don't divert attention from the road would be a huge improvement.

I also had some trouble in my test vehicle with electronics. The driver's map light turned itself on repeatedly, clicking each time, sometimes immediately after I shut it off, and sometimes six times in a row while driving.

Benjamin Hunting

Some Golf R Competitors Offer Less Weight and More Luxury

Two other compact performance hatchbacks compete with the Golf R: the Honda Civic Type R and the Toyota GR Corolla. Compared with the Volkswagen, which prefers to keep drivers at arm's length, the Golf R's rivals from Japan are both engaging and hundreds of pounds lighter.

Surprisingly, the previously mentioned Audi S3 is available for nearly the same amount of money as the VW and brings with it not only a similar tech specs but substantially more badge recognition at the valet station. Unless you absolutely need the practicality of a hatchback — or are dead set on using a clutch pedal — it's an alternative worth investigating.

Volkswagen provided the vehicle for this 2024 Golf R review.

Benjamin Hunting

Benjamin Hunting is a writer and podcast host who contributes to a number of newspapers, automotive magazines, and online publications. More than a decade into his career, he enjoys keeping the shiny side up during track days and always has one too many classic vehicle projects partially disassembled in his garage at any given time. Remember, if it's not leaking, it's probably empty.